This invention relates to an improved mechanism for attaching a U-shaped metal clip about the tail end of a package supported on a moving horizontal conveyor.
Heretofore the assignee of applicant has made and sold an apparatus under the trade name, CLIP-A-MATIC, for closing the top of a bag transported by a horizontal conveyor with a U-shaped metal clip. The clip is fastened about the top or tail of the bag by means of a clip attachment apparatus or mechanism. The system is used for closing polyethylene bags, burlap bags, and cloth bags as well as multi-walled paper bags, netting and other flexible containers filled with a variety of products. The device comprises an endless horizontal conveyor upon which the product filled bag is supported for movement. The open end of the bag is engaged by opposed, parallel, horizontally arranged endless belts positioned above the horizontal conveyor and designed to gather the open end for feeding thereof into a clip attachment apparatus. The horizontal conveyor and endless belt thus transport the filled bag along the conveyor and into a clip attachment apparatus disposed horizontally below the endless belts and above the conveyor at a level to engage the gathered tail of the bag. The clipper mechanism includes a gate which alternately swings into and out of position in the pathway of the gathered tail and further gathers the tail of the bag and positions a clip die for attachment of a clip. The conveyor and clip attachment operations are intermittent inasmuch as the horizontal conveyor, as well as the endless belts simultaneously stop when a clip is attached to the tail of a bag. After a clip is attached to the tail, the clipper releases the clipped bag and the conveyor begins its operation once again.
In sum, the operation of the conveyor of this prior art device is intermittent. There has remained a need for a device of this general type wherein the conveyor operation is not intermittent. It is against this background that the present invention was developed.